HOME IMPROVEMENTS ▲
e e
BROWSE FOR
ENERGY EFFICIENT
PRODUCTS BY
CATEGORY ON THE
ENERGY SAVING
TRUST WEBSITE.
BEAT THE DRAUGHTS
I
I
HERE ARE SOME EASY WAYS TO MAKE YOUR HOME MORE
ENERGY EFFICIENT, SO IT COSTS YOU LESS...
Turn off appliances when not
in use - leaving them on standby
continues to use power.
Lag your hot water tank and
pipes to keep the water in them
hot for longer.
Fit modern thermostats and
controls to your central heating.
Boil only the water you need to
make a cuppa - if we all did that,
the electricity saved could power
nearly all Britain's street lights!
Consider getting Economy 7
electricity - it has a cheaper
tariff at night, when you can
heat water and storage heaters.
Only do full loads of washing,
and wash at a lower temperature.
Dry clothes naturally on racks,
rather than using a tumble dryer.
Bleed radiators if they have
accumulated air, as your boiler
has to work harder.
When buying new appliances,
only choose ener y efﬁciency
ratings of A+++.
Install a smart meter to help
you monitor and adapt your
power usage.
Defrost your fridge-freezer
regularly, check seals and keep
the coils at the back dust-free.
raught proofing is a uick and cheap way to reduce heat
loss and can save you up to
a year, according to E . y
blocking small gaps around windows, doors, lo hatches and
pipework leading outside, you'll keep warm air in and cold
air out, so your heating system doesn't have to work as hard.
If you don't have double gla ing, stick draught proof
strips around window frames and door frames, as this
will help. lso, hang heavy, lined curtains over windows
and doors. it covers over keyholes and letterbo es, and
caps over unused chimneys. se draught e cluders at
the bottoms of doors. ill cracks around oorboards and
skirting boards with e ible fillers, cracks in walls with
cement or hard setting fillers, and gaps around
pipework with silicone sealant.
e careful not to block areas that need good ventilation,
such as around open fires, ues and e tractor fans. imilarly,
rooms that are prone to moisture, such as kitchens and
bathrooms, need to remain well ventilated.
For more ways to boost
your ener y efﬁciency isit
energysavingtrust.org.uk.
GO SOLAR
If you're serious about going green, you
may want to consider installing a solar
panel system to convert sunlight into
electricity. The initial outlay of around
£6,000 means it will take a fairly long
time to pay for itself. However, you can
get paid for generating your own electricity
h gh he g e n en s ee in T i
(around £100-£200 a year), plus you can
sell excess electricity back to the grid.
www.athomemagazine.co.uk OCTOBER 2017 | 149